It was probably unfortunate timing to start an Australian tour in Adelaide on the Gather Round weekend, as it seems everyone’s attention was on the football. However, times like this weeds out the true fans, who gathered at the Hindley Street Music Hall to hear Holy Holy play their latest album Cellophane.
Gumbaynggirr rapper Tasman Keith was advertised as the support act, however he recently broke his leg in two places playing NRL. Gold coast four piece, Eliza & The Delusionals stepped in the fill the void and had the crowd dancing and swaying to their indie rock sound. They played their Like a Version cover of Phoebe Bridgers‘ “Motion Sickness” before finishing with their latest single “Make it Feel Like the Garden.” A short and sweet set, however they will be embarking on their own Australian tour in April / May, so there’s a chance to see them again.
After a short changeover, Timothy Carroll and Oscar Dawson of Holy Holy burst on stage. With around six albums from over ten years of recording, the duo have an impressive catalogue to choose from. Although this tour is a chance to hear the latest album Cellophane, there was a generous dip into the back catalogue to begin with. Opening with “Send My Regards” from the 2017 album Paint and “Believe Anything” from the more recent Hello My Beautiful World, they then seamlessly wove in “People Change” from Cellophane. Some songs had to miss out; “Elevator” for example wasn’t played.
Despite the loose jangly indie-rock music, everything else about the band is tight. The uncluttered stage, the expansive lighting and the clean sound all adds up to give a solid and enjoyable experience of the performance. The two backing musicians, drummer and guitar also give a solid contribution to the overall sound. Tim is the more active member, but Oscar steps out from behind his keyboard to shred some tunes.
As this is the first show on the tour, this audience are the first to hear the songs from Cellophane performed live. There’s a small rehearsal for the song “Cellophane” about half-way through, with promises of a full rendition later. What followed was a mix of new and old songs, with guest appearances from Eliza (from Eliza & The Delusionals) and Sumner, who collaborated on “Ready.”
Despite the relatively small crowd, those that were there were enthusiastic and supportive of the band’s performance. The range of songs was impressive and the new album slots in perfectly with the established songs. Make sure you check them on the rest of their Australian tour.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
